Converter for suction cleaners



Oct. 13; 1953 H. B. WHITE CONVERTER FOR SUCTION CLEANERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 28, 1951 mm W WW0 am M s H W1 m.

H. B. WHITE CONVERTER FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Oct. 13, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 28, 1951 INVENTOR. Harry B. White BY ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 13, 1 953 CONVERTER FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Harry B. White, Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 28, 1951, Serial No. 213,207

11 Claims. 1

This invention relates to suction cleaners and more particularly to a converter therefor for converting the cleaner from on-the-fioor cleaning to off-the-fioor cleaning.

Specifically, according to the present invention, a converter is provided with a forked end to straddle a. belt pulley extending through the fan eye and to mate with the fan eye. A pair of shutters or closure plates are pivoted to the slotted end of the converter to close off the slot except for the space occupied by the pulley shaft. The shutters are connected by a linkage mechanism to a movable actuator, in the form of a converter latch adapted to be contacted by means on the cleaner as the converter is inserted, to first open the shutters or closure plates to permit the pulley to enter the slotted end of the converter and to thereafter close about the pulley shaft.

In one modification, the linkage mechanism is in the form of a single link connected to one of the shutters and gear means on the shutters so as to open and close the latter in unison.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of one modification of a converter of this invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of a cleaner partly in section showing the converter of Fig. l in place;

Figure 3 is a bottom view of the converter of Fig. 1 showing how the shutters are opened during conversion; t

Figure 4 is a side view of a cleaner partly in section showing a modified converter in place; and

Figure 5 is a bottom view of the converter of Fig. 4 as it is being applied to the cleaner.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the converter, generally indicated by the reference numeral I0, includes an upwardly inclined female fitting ll for attachment to a male fitting on the end of a flexible hose, the opposite end of which is to be attached to any suitable cleaning tool.

The converter also includes a flattened portion 12 for insertion into aconverter passage l3 extending rearwardly from the fan eye of the cleaner l5. The flattened portion has top and bottom walls 16 and I! respectively. At its forward end the top wall is cut away at 18 to form an open ended lateral opening to mate with the fan eye l4 when the converter is fully inserted. Atits forward end the bottom wall I! isslotted at I9 to form a pair of legs 20 and 2| which straddle a belt pulley shaft 22 when the converter is fully inserted.

Pivoted at 23 and 24 to the underside of the wall ll, adjacent the rear end of the slot is, are a pair of shutters or closure plates 2155 and 25 having spaced notches 21 and 253' for receiving and closely surrounding the shaft 22. The shut ters 25 and 26 have straight edges forwardly of the notches 2i and 28 which meet at line 25 when fully closed to close the forward end of slot I9. At their forward ends the shutters 25 and 26 are turned upwardly at 30 to coact with the bottom wall 3! of the fan chamber to substantially seal off the suction passageway 32 from the fan eye Ii when the converter is fully inserted.

The shutters 25 and 26 have mating teeth 33 and 34 between their pivot points 23 and 24 which forms a part of the linkage. mechanism to open and close them in unison. One side of the flat portion I2 of the converter has a recess 35 formed therein to house an actuating rod 35 pivotally connected at its forwad end to a lug 3i extending from the shutter '25 opposite the teeth 34 and at its rear end :to a pin as on a converter latch 39 pivoted at 48 in the recess 35 of the converter tube. A spring 4i surrounds the pivot 40 and biases the latch 33 to the position shown in Fig. l to move the shutters 25 and 2% closed. The actuating rod 36 is bent out at as so as to pass through a slot 43 in a converter guide tube as the converter is inserted. The actuating rod 35 and gear teeth 33, 34 form the linkage mechanism between the latch 39 and the shutters to open and close them.

The slot 43 is formed by a lug M struck outwardly from the side wall of tube 19. The lug 44 has a cam surface 45 at its rear end to coact with the cam shaped end ii of latch 3:5 to open the shutters 25 and 25 as the converter is inserted. The latch has a lateral shoulder ll which engages behind a shoulder. as on lug 54 to latch the converter in place when fully inserted. A cam surface it is provided on lug 44 to the rear of shoulder 45 for a purpose which will presently appear.

Operation of Figs. 1 to 3' When it is desired to convert to ofi-thefioor cleaning the end I! of the converter is grasped and its forward end inserted into the guide tube 10 to the rear of converter passageway 13 and pushed forwardly. Just prior to the time that the shutters 25 and 2t reach the shaft 22 the cammed end 4? of lever 39 engages the cam 45 of lug 44 and pivots the lever 39 clockwise against 3.. the bias of the spring M which will reciprocate the rod 36 and pivot the shutter 26 clockwise causing the mating teeth 34 and 33 to shift the shutter 25 counterclockwise to the position shown in Fig. 3.

As the converter is further inserted the cammed end 4'! will ride over the shoulder 46 of lug Hi 'to ;la'tch the converter infpl'aee and the spring ll will pivot the latch lever 39 counterclockwise to close the shutters 25 and 26 about the shaft 22 and close the end of slot [9. The straight edges 29 of the shutters V havmgmet the notches 27 and 23 will close closely abdiit the shaft 22.

It is to be noted from Fig. 2 that'when the converter is fully inserted the open ended aperture l8 in the upper wall [6 of the-converter tube exactly mates with the fan eye I4 and the ends of the legs 25 and 2| together with the upturned end 30 of the shutters 25 and 26 will substantially seal the suction passageway 32-fromthe fan'eye I4 whereby the entire suction produced will cause airflow through the converter Hi.

When it is desired to reconvert toon-the-floor cleaning the latch lever 39 is depressed to raise the shoulder l I above theshoulderflfi and the converter [e merely pulled'out of the converter. pas sageway l3 and guidetu'be 1-0. As 'the'converter is pulled rearwardly the cam '12 will be engaged by cam 41 of latch 39 and the shutters 2'5 and-26 opened sufficiently to-clear the shaft 22.

The converter of Figs. 4 and 5 is substantially the same as that just described except forthe actuating mechanism for the shutters and where the parts are the same they have been giventhe same reference numerals.

The shutters 25 and 26 have actuating links 48 and 49 pivoted thereto at'56 and 5| outside of their pivot points 23 and 24. The links 48 and 4'9 are received in a recess 52 in the bottom wall I! of the converter and their rear ends pivoted at 53 and 54 to the legs of a. latch lever 55 pivoted-at 56 to the under wall I! of the converter tube. A compression spring 51 acts between the bottom wall I! and the lever 55 to bias the lever 55 to-a position to hold the shutters 25 and 26 closed as shown in full lines of Fig. 5.

The lever 55 has a cam end 58 which ooa'cts with lugs 59 and 60 struck downwardly from the bottom wall of the guide tube Hi, thereby forming a slot a: between them for the passage of the lever 55'when the converter is inserted. one end of the lugs 59 'and'lifl is sloped to form cam surfaces 62 while the opposite endsa'r'e at rfglit angles'to form shoulders "63 to engage 'T-sh'aped end 58 of the lever 55 and latch the converter in place.

Operation of'Figs. '4 and 5 When it is desired to convert to offthe-floor cleaning the converter It is grasped and its "forward end inserted in the guide tube to therea r of the converter passageway I3. Prior to the time that the ends of the shutters 25 and 26 reach the shaft 22 the T-shape'd en'd'58 of th'elever 55 will engage the earns 62 of lugs 59 and 60 and pivot the lever counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 4. That will in turn pull the rods 48-and49 backwards and pivot the shutter 26clockwise and the shutter 25 counterclockwiseso asto permit the shaft 22 to enter the slot [9. When the T-shaped end 58 of lever 55 rides free of'the lugs 59 and 66 behind the shoulders 53thespring 5'! will close the shutters to the position'shownin Fig. 5 sov that the ends ofthe T 58 will-liebehind and front wheels IT by means of handle 18.

4 the shoulders 63 and positively lock the converter in place.

When it is desired to remove the converter it is necessary to press upwardly on the lever 55 so as to move the shutters 25 and 26 to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 5.

During normal on-the-fioor cleaning the fan 15 is driven by'a "motor housed within the appearance housing 16 and the cleaner propelled over the surface to be cleaned on rear wheels 11 At its forward end the cleaner is provided with a downwardly facing nozzle 8| in open communication with the suction passage 32. An agitator 82 is rot'atably mounted within the nozzle and is driven by the belt '19.

The suction created by the fan 75 will draw the surface covering upwardly against the nozzle 8| and the dirt lodged therein will be removed by the combined action of the agitator 82 and the air being drawn therethrough by the suction createdby the-fan 1-5. The dirt laden air will bedra'wnthrough the suction passageway '32 and the fan eye [4 into the-fanchamberand be discharged throu-g-h the exhaust passageway into the dirt filtering bag 35.

When conversion is made, as above described, to-ofi-the-fioor cleaning the suction passageway 32 will be closed on from the faneye l4 and the entiresuction air stream will bedrawn through the con-verter tube 10 from a cleaning tool connected 1 thereto by means of a flexible hose.

From 'the --foregoing -it can be .-seen that this invention provides a converter having pivoted shutters for closing off the fan eye from thesuction passageway except for the small clearance about the pulley in which the shutters are' automatically opened and'closed as the converter is inserted and removed.

While-I have shown'and described but two embodiments of my invention-his to be understood that those embodiments are to be taken as illustrative onlyand not ina limiting sense. -I-do-not wish to be limited to the particular structure shown and described but to include all equivalent variations thereof except as limited by thescope 0f the claims.

lclaim:

1. In a suction cleaner, a body having a fan therein and-being formed with a suction nozzle having an agitator rotatably mounted therein, said fan including a fan eyecommunica'ting with said nozzle,' a shaft for drivingsaid agitator extending through said fan eye, a convertertube receiving passage in-communication with said f'an eye, a converter tube insertable into said-converter passage so as to extend across said fan eye, a movable-latch for latching'said converter'tube 1n said --passage, said converter tube having an opening in one side --wall in com'municationwith said fan eye Whenfully inserted into 'saidcorrverter passage anda slotin its opposite side-wall for receiving said shaft, ajpair of shutterspivoted to-said opposite wall ofsaid converter in aip'osition to closesaid slot except for notches to re said converter passage and permitting closing movement of said shutters when said converter tube is fully inserted.

3. A converter for insertion into the converter passage of a suction cleaner of the type having a fan eye in communication with both a normal suction passage and a converter passage communicating with each other at the fan eye and with a pulley shaft extending through the fan eye into the junction of the two passages, said converter comprising a tube having a first wall adapted to face the fan eye and a second wall spaced therefrom, said first wall being formed with an opening adapted to mate with the fan eye and said second wall being slotted to form a pair of legs adapted to straddle the shaft when said converter is fully inserted into the converter passage, a shutter pivoted to the rear of each leg, said shutters each being formed with a notch adapted to close about the shaft and with mating faces closing said slot except for said notches when said converter is fully inserted, a latch adapted to cooperate with means on said cleaner for latching said converter in fully inserted position and means connecting said latch to said shutters operative to pivot said shutters outwardly to open said slot as said latch is moved into releasing position to permit removal of said converter from the converter passage.

4. A converter as in claim 3 in which said latch is adapted to be contacted by means on said converter passage to move said latch to releasing position and move said shutters outwardly to clear the shaft as said converter is inserted into the converter passage.

5. A converter according to claim 3 in which said shutters are geared to each other to move in unison as said latch moves to releasing position.

6. A converter comprising a tube having a first wall formed with an open ended opening to mate with the fan eye of a suction cleaner and a second wall spaced therefrom having a slot to form spaced legs to straddle the pulley shaft extending through the fan eye of the suction cleaner, a shutter pivoted to each of the inner edges of said legs adjacent the bight of said slot, said shutters having inner edges meeting on a line within said slot when in closed position, said edges being formed with mating notches to encompass the shaft extending through the fan eye, said first and second walls and said shutters being formed to close off the fan eye of a suction'cleaner from the suction passageway thereof, a latch pivoted to said converter for locking it in the converter passage of a suction cleaner and linkage means connecting said latch to said shutters and operative to move said shutters away from each other as said latch is moved to unlatching position.

7. In combination, a suction cleaner having a fan eye communicating with a suction passage and with a converter passage and having a pulley shaft extending through said fan eye into the junction of said suction and converter passages, a converter tube insertable into said converter passage, said converter tube having first and second walls spaced from each other and lying between the pulley and fan eye when in inserted position, the inner end of said first wall being formed with an open ended port mating with said fan eye, the inner end of said second wall being formed with a slot to provide forked ends straddling said shaft, a shutter pivoted to the inner edge of each forked end adjacent the rear end of said slot and operable to mate with each other to close the end of said slot when in closed position, a latch pivoted to said converter tube, means on said cleaner engageable by said latch to lock said converter in said converter passage, and linkage means connecting said latch to said shutters and operable upon movement of said latch to unlatching position to move said shutters away from each other to open said slot.

8. The combination set forth in claim 7 in which the inner edges of said shutters are provided with mating notches to closely encircle said shaft.

9. The combination set forth in claim 7 including means on said cleaner engageable with said latch to move said latch to its open position as said converter tube is inserted into said converter passage and permitting closing movement of said latch as said converter tube reaches its fully inserted position in said converter passage.

10. The combination as set forth in claim 9 in which said latch is pivoted to said converter tube on an axis extending perpendicularly to said first and second walls, and said linkage means comprises a rod connecting said latch to one of said shutters and intermeshing means on said shutters between their ivots to cause them to move in unison.

11. The combination as set forth in claim 9 in which said latch is pivoted to said second wall on an axis parallel thereto and said linkage means comprising a pair of rods each connecting said latch to one of said shutters.

HARRY B. WHITE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,416,786 White Mar. 4, 1947 2,450,828 Gerber Oct. 5, 1948 2,450,846 White Oct. 5, 1948 2,482,337 Hahn Sept. 20, 1949 

